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American Morning

Charlie Daniels Band Rocks New York With 'Volunteer Jams'

Aired May 10, 2001 - 11:40   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LAURIN SYDNEY, CNN ANCHOR: No stranger to country music honors, the Charlie Daniels Band had one of its biggest hits in 1979 with "The Devil Went Down To Georgia."

Now, more than 20 years later, the band's fusion of hardcore country and Southern rock boogie and blues continues to make them a popular concert attraction. Bill Tush caught up with the fantastic fiddler and his bandmates in New York to talk about their "Volunteer Jams" tour.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BILL TUSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Now, here's an introduction for you: Few individuals have symbolized the South and popular country as directly and indelibly as Charlie Daniels. Here he is, sans the band today.

I want to say, that's the encyclopedia of Southern culture.

CHARLIE DANIELS, MUSICIAN: Encyclopedia of Southern culture.

TUSH: Did you know that you were in there?

DANIELS: Yes, I did. But I have yet to see a copy. I think they only printed one copy to make quotes out of it.

TUSH: It's a good quote. You can't ask for anything better than that. This week you are playing in New York...

DANIELS: At B.B. Kings.

TUSH: So, if you're lucky enough to be around the New York area, come by and see Charlie; and then you go on tour, Volunteer Jam Tour number...

DANIELS: Number -- well, this is number three on the road. Of course, this -- this year is number -- 20?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 19.

DANIELS: 19th edition of the Volunteer Jam. Of course, we didn't take it on the road about three years ago. But, we've done a bunch of them. TUSH: It's funny; I was going over the list of people that have you taken with you over the years, and I mean, I see names like what? Ted Nugent.

DANIELS: Ted Nugent.

TUSH: And John Kay from Steppenwolf. I think that and Charlie Daniels?

DANIELS: We've had all kinds of people. We've had Billy Joel; we've had James Brown; B.B. King; acts as diverse -- is from Bill Monroe to, you know, James Brown. That's covering a lot of ground.

TUSH: So, you go from a bluegrass legend like Monroe to a blues legend like James Brown and B.B. King.

DANIELS: Yeah, and in the first year, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) some from the Allman Brothers band showed up, and it was obvious that it was an event, that it was something we should do every once in awhile.

TUSH: Looks like something we can all look forward to; starts on May 11. Don't forget the album of course, "Road Dogs," Charles Daniels, always good to see you.

DANIELS: My pleasure, buddy.

TUSH: You don't have the cowboy hat on.

DANIELS: Citywear.

TUSH: Citywear. He's in the big city here. And he's coming to your city, too.

In fact, you played here a while back for us.

DANIELS: Oh, yeah. We were supposed to be outside that day, and the weather didn't cooperate.

TUSH: Well, we saved the tape.

DANIELS: You did! I am glad.

TUSH: Here it is.

(MUSIC)

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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